The present invention relates to a reusable security tag adapted to be secured to an article to be maintained under surveillance, and more particularly to a tag concealing an element detectable by independent means.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,829 issued Mar. 9, 1976, on an application of David Raymond Humble and Harry Godfrey Walters, III, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, there is disclosed a reusable security tag having an enclosure containing an element detectable by independent means and a cruciate sheet metal clutch lock. A pin for piercing a garment is secured at the end of a lever arm which is hinged to said enclosure for controlled movement into said lock. Said pin is released from said clutch lock by application of a special tool to said enclosure for deforming the clutch lock to spread its jaws. For a more complete description of such reusable security tag reference should be had to the patent specification.
While a very considerable number of security tags constructed in accordance with the teaching of the aforesaid patent have been produced and used successfully, it has been discovered that such tags have certain limitations. The known tag is quite bulky and was constructed with a large knob or protuberance as a part of the housing to conceal the fastening tack when the tag is secured to a garment. It was discovered that when such tags are used in conjunction with garments that are normally tried on before purchase, the tags cause annoyance if they are secured to the garment with the protuberance of the housing located towards the inside of the article. Thus, in order to avoid such annoyance the retailers prefer to attach the tag to the garment with the tack end on the inside which means that during normal application of the tag to the garment the tack would be concealed from view by the garment and more difficult to locate at a specific spot.
It was also discovered as a consequence of considerable use of such patented tags that they could be defeated by continual flexing and bending by an individual intent upon unauthorized removal of the tag. Apparently, in spite of the specific measures taken to reduce the same, flexing of the tag results in the communication of severe shearing forces to the tack clutch lock area causing the lock gradually to give. Also, since the patented tag is constructed with a lever arm that is hinged to an enclosure, the exposed hinge is subject to attack and destruction enabling the tag to be removed without authorization.